Machine for folding edges of sheet material



Marh 12, 1929v J, os -r 1,705,457

MACHINE FOR FOLDING EDGES. OF SH$ET"M ATERIAL Filed NOVFSO; '1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Illa March 12, 1929. 4. ROSENTHAL MACHINE FOR FOLDING EDGES 0F SHEET MATERIAL Filed uovlso, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 12, 1929.

stares aon'ann nosnnrnnn, or rnanzronron-ri'rE-onnn, snsiaanr, as' srenoa T0 UNITED snon MACHINERY conronerron, or rn'rnnsen, new ans-say, A eon'roaa'rron OF NEW JERSEY. v

'MACHINE FOR FOLDING EDGES 0F SHEET MATERIAL.

Application filed November 30, 192-7, Serial No. 236,742, and in Germany March 28,1825.

The present invention relates to a machine for folding the edges of leather or of other sheet material in a step by step operation. The machine is fitted with folding means which at first bend the edge up at an angle a of ninety degrees then fold it over, and

finally press it down. After every such operation the material is fed forwards.

The object of the invention is a special arrangement of these means in order to obtain folded edges ofa perfectly uniform outline even where they show curvatures of very small radii. With this object in view the material worked upon is so held in place that it cannotspre'ad or yield in the direction of feed nor in a transverse direction 2 beyond the outline desired duringthe folding over operation, the yielding of the edgematerial in these directions being the main cause of the distortion of the folded-edge otherwise encountered. The yielding of the edge material in the said directions during the folding operation is prevented by causing the bender and the presser to remain in their working position while the upwardly bent edge is folded over. In this position of parts the presser and the bender prevent the work from yielding or spreading in the said we directions While being folded. To this end the folder performs a twofold movement viz, a movement independent of the bender in a direction parallel to the sheet material and a common movement with'the bender in a direction vertical. to the sheet material. 1

A simple embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a front elevation and Fig. 2 shows an end elevation of the machine, several parts being omitted for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 3 shows the upper feeding finger and its driving parts on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a cross section along the line 1-1 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 illustrates some of the cooperating instrumentalities. I

Fig. 6 is a view of the edge-guide.

Fig. 7 is a cross-section through the working instrumentalities somewhat above and parallel to the work-table. Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-section along the line 11-11 of Fig. 1.

already folded over.

In the lower arm of the frame 16is ar-.

ranged the vertically slidable feeding finger 2. crankar n 26 of the shaft 27. The swinging It is supported by a spring 37 on the shaft 27 compresses the spring and urges yieldingly thefeed finger 2 upwardly. At the rear-ends of the shafts 25'and 27 there are providedcranks connected to each other by appropriate rods and the two-armed lever 28 pivotally mounted on the stud 29. of the machine-frame. A cam 38lreyed to the driving shaft 32 swings by the means shown in Fig. 8 the stud 29 and moves the two fingers 1 and 2 against each other; With the fingers 1 and 2 closed theswinging frame 16 feeds the work- The frame 16 is swung about the vertical shaft 17 by means of the shaft 19, the crank 19. and the connecting bar 18, see Fig. 2. The swinging movement of the shaft 19 is derived froma cam 12 of the shaft Fig. 2. The feeding finger 1 has atitslower end down by the folder' l. I

The bender 8'is fastened. to the slide 22 moved by the lever 80, and the shaft; 81', oscillated by suitable means by the camshaft 82. The folder 4 is fastened tothe vertical slide 20 moving in the horizontal slide 21. While the bender '3 and folder, 1- are operating the material is held by the hold-down 5 on" the table 9. At the same time the hammer 6 presses upon the margin The hold-down 5 is moved upwards by the cam 35 and the lever 34 "and isheld in its lower position by a spring 40.. The hammer 6 is arranged in a similar manner, it is raised by a lever 45. The hold-down 5 may also be lifted by the hand-lever 13 engaging underneath the-lever 34. The spring 12 carryingthe' feeding fin; gerl is fastenedto the. hold-down 5 to be 32 by means of the lever41, see

simultzrn o'usly lifted therewith.

through the guide 7 underneath the hold down end between the said feeding; 1, 2, whereupon he releases the hol -down 5 to clamp the material on the table 9. he cam-shaft is then rotated either by the handle 33 or by e n'iotc-ndrix' e. The rotating she it'reises the bender 3 which bends the edge of the materiel up about the prolongation 39 of the finger 1. Now the folder 4 in the path of which the bender lies lowers to come into contect with the bender 3. 'l Vhi-le the'folder proceeds leterally in order to lay the upturned edge down onto the body portion of material lying on the table 9 it moves at the same time downward with the folder '3. While the folder and bender-ere thus-operating end while the hold-down 5 is in itslow position the henn mer-G presses down in the innnediste neighbourhood the part oi the edge which has been acted upon in the preceding cycle of operation. 'lhus the hammer 6 does not allow the part of the margin which is just being folded over to spread or bulge in the direction of the feed, while the bender 3 does not allow it to spread or bulge beyond the desired line of fold. Now the fingers 1 and 2 grip the work-piece and the parts 5 and 6 are lifted to tree the material for the teed. The frame 16 swings in the direction of the feed for'one step, the holddown Bdescends again and :the hammer (3 lowers to press down the already folded. Finally the'fingers l, 2 open and the frame 16 returns, whereupon the described operetion repeats.

WVhet I claim is:

1. Ai'olding machine having, in combine- Y tion, a, Work support, means for feeding the work intermittently over the support, and

mechanism for progressively folding the of the work over the bodypertion and for pressing the fold, said mechanism comprising a folder movable in a? given path and means for engaging the work simultaneously at it previously folded locality enc at e locality on the line of foldin the plane of the path of the folderduring the time that the folder is o 'iereting.

2. A folding machine having, in combinaolOil, e. N91. sup ort, means 101 leeding the.

work.intermittently over the support, and means zl'or progressively fol 'surcr-issive portions of the nerglin over jbody por tion of the w :l( during the 1?. uses in the 'l e'd end for pres. them into rnntt i e, said naeztns coinprisdn up the nierguii, a fold 1 ntup me over the -booy po er, and ii ns :ter cams-mg the presser d overport-ion oi the marline of told in er during 2 c l er is folding tbent-111p margin over the body portion o tne work.

:3. A folding machine having, 1 combination, at work: s port, means for intermittently feeding the work over the support,

1 at th in and e bender to the of e bender, means for lnoving the bender up war: to bend up the margin or" the Work, e f or, means tor causing the folder to move the bender downward and to fold :the bent-up margin over the bodyportion of the work, end means for pressing the fold.

i. A folding machine having, ineombinetion, 2. work support, means for intermittently feeding the work over the support, e bender, means for moving the bender upward to bend up the margin of the work, a folder, means for causing the folder, to move the bender lownwerd and to fold the bent-upnier '11 over the body portion ot' the work, and means for pressing the fold, the constuetien and arrangement being so margin overthe body portion of the work, "he presser engegesa previously folded-over portion of the margin and the bender engages the edge of the fold et the locality in which the folder is folding e succeeding portion of the margin of the worln,

In testimony whereof I eitix my. sign eture.

I JOHANN ROSENTI-IAL.

that, while the :toleer is folding the loo 

